Submarine life-saving device



, 1,634,055 June 28 1927 K. TANIGUCHI SUBMARINE LIFE `SAVING DEVICE Filed Jan. 18. 192,6 2 Shears-Sheet l i (o "l D i IN1/MMR,.-

June 28, 1927. 1,634,055

K. TANlGucHl l SUBMARINE LIFE sAviNG DEvIcE Filed Jan. 18, 1926 2 Sheng-shewu 2 Patented June 28, 1927.

, UNITED STATES KUMAzo TANIGUCHI, or xINGsBUne, CALIFORNIA.

SUBMARINE LIFE-SAVIN Gr DEVICE.

Application led January 18, 1926. Serial No. 82,000.

rIhis invention relates to an improved safety device adapted for use in submarines. and comprehends a life-saving device, means for storing the same within the limits of the submarine, and means for launching the lifesaving device from the submarine.

' compartment therein.

The objectvof this invention is to provide a life-saving device, adapted for the entire Crew of a submarine, a compartment within the submarine for storing the life-saving device, means for eqeditiously launching the device in an emergency, and in connectien with the life-saving device, a means for holding and containing aY quantity of food and water for use by the crew when ltherde'- vice is in active operation.l f

Occasionally submarines, after being sub-A merged, will fail to rise to the surface of the water, and the crew are therefore imprisoned and cannot escape, resulting in loss of life. To afford zin-efficient means of escape'for the'crew, Iv provide a 'series of life-saving vand buoyant members, each adapted to support an individual member of the crew, and means for connecting the buoyant vmembers together into a flexible floating raft or swimming device, and in connection therewith, a water container and afood container holding a quantity of emergency rations, a storage compartment in the submarine'for the device, and means for expeditiously launching the device in an emergency. I

A simple and satisfactory embodiment of the improvement, as it now appears to me, is exemplified in and by the accompanying drawings, but I reserve the right to minor changes and alterations that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top pla view of a submarine, showing the top door which serves to close the hatchway to the life-saving compartment. Fig. 2 is a side f'iew ofv the submarine, showing a portion ofy the hull cut away to exhibit the life-saving Fig. 3 is a fragmentary and enlarged view showing the interior of the life-saving compartment. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a trap-door within the submarine, and adapted to be closed when the compartment is to be flooded for launching the life-saving device. Fig. 5 `is aper'- spective detail view of the device, as it would appear while ascending tothe surface of the water. Fig. 6 is ai side view of an individual buoyant member occupied.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the submarine 11 is provided with a compartment 12, having a cover 13 at the top, to close the hatchway 14. The cover is retained Aand secured by the clamp member 15, and is connected by hinges 16,l with the exterior of the submarine. A ca'ble 17, connected to the cover, passes over a pulley 18, and thence through the passageway 19,to theinterior of the compartment. The passageway 19 is pro-y vided with a packing 20, to prevent leakage,

when the lsubmarine is submerged. vThe 'weight of the water on the cover vmay tend to preventthe same from opening readily. To overcome thisobjeotion, I provide a drum 21, on vwhich thercable'may bewound, this drum having the handles 22, for ease of manipulation. The drum further has a ratchet 23, to prevent contrary rotation, for, when the cover is first opened, the inrushing water would tend to closethe cover with considerable force. To insure the prompt filling of the .compartment with water when the cover is actuated to its open position, I provide, an air passageway 24, leading to the exterior of the submarine, and normally closed by a valve member 25, when the sub-v marine is in submerged position.

, The compartment is further provided with the interior doors 26, which, when the compartment is to be Hooded, may berst closed, and then secured by bolts 27. To further facilitate the opening of the hatchway cover 13, I provide the handle 28, fixed to cable 17,

y and ladapted to be manually grasped by. the

members of the crew to more quickly manipulate the cover Vto open position when the depth of submergence permits.

The life saving elements consist of the annular buoyant members 29, connected in series by the cables 30. Each buoyant member `is provided with a suspended seat 31, and further provided with afloat member 32, connected by a cord 33, with the seat. At one end of the series of said buoyant members 29, I provide a relatively large float member 34, which, when the device is launched, will first pass through the hatchway.

Connected with and forming the end of the series of buoyant members, are the containers 35, 36 and 37. The container 35, hasy a supply of rations for the crew to be usedV in emergency while the device is in use. Thecontainer 36, has a supply. of water Vfor drinking purposes. The container 37, has in addition to food or water, a com,

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pass 38, and a signal light 39, which is to be used in emergency. The buoyant member 37, further has a weight flO, at the bottom, tending to maintain the proper position of the device, when the light is burning, and has a signal bell 4l.

The apparatus may be installed in a device in av convenient position, so that all members of the crew may reach the compartment in case of danger. In normal conditions, the compartment forms a passageway between forward and rear portions ofv the interior of the submarine. The buoyant apparatus is stored on either side of the compartment. If the submarine be submerged, and the crew should desire to es'- cape, they will quickly enter the compartment, and'then close the doors 26. They will then take their positions in the buoyant members. The valve 25 and cover 13 are then opened. As the compartment fills with water, the buoyant member 34 is passed through the hatchway, and the members of the crew then follow. The raft thus formed, having the several buoyant members, will quickly rise to the surface of th-e water. The flexible cable connections permit the several buoyant members to assume the horizontal position and then float upon the water. rIhe food, water and light, may then be used by the crew as may be necessary for sustaining life, and for signaling purposes, until their rescue is effected.

lFrom the foregoing description and drawings, it may be seen that I have provided a sim-ple and efficient means for effecting the escape of a crew from a submerged submarine, when the submarine cannot be floated, or becomes inoperative beneath the surface of the sea.

Ifvhat is claimed is:

l. In a device of the character set forth, a series. of buoyant members each adapted to support a member of the crew upon the water, cablesconnecting the buoyant members to form a flexible raft, a relatively large float member at one extremity of the series of buoyant members, a buoyant member in the series serving as a container for drinking water, another buoyant member in the series serving as a container for food rations, another buoyant member in' the series serving to carry a light, and a compass, and an individual floatmember in connection with each buoyant member adapted to Support a member of the crew.

2. In a device of the, character set forth, a flexible and floatable raft, a series of crewsupporting buoyant members included therein, float members tending to maintain the crew-supporting buoyant members in a relatively operative position, and a relatively large float member at one extremity of the raft and serving to carry the raft from submerged to lfloating position. v

3. In a device of the character set forth, a series of buoyant members each adapted to support a member ofthe crew, cables connecting the crew-supporting buoyant members to formV a `flexible raft, other buoyant members serving as containers for drink and rations, a large float member to carry the raft from submerged to floating position, individual float members each serving to maintain the operativ-e position of the crew carrying buoyant members, a signal-carrying buoyant member in opposed relation to the large float member, a light carried by the last named buoyant member, and a weight at the bottom of the last-named buoyant member `to maintain the same in floating position.

l. In a submarine, a compartment having a hatchway at the top, a cover for the hatchway, a cable having on-e end secured to the cover and the opposite end extending into the compartment, means for winding the cable to forcel the cover to its open position, including a revoluble drum' mounted on the inner wall of the compartment, means for preventing ancontra-ry rotation of vthe drum, said cable having its extremity secured to the drum, handles for manually actuating the drum to wind the cable, inteior doors for the compartment normally in open position, means for locking the doors in closed position including door bolts mounted on the compartment side of the doors, means for normally locking the cover in its closed position, and a floatable lifesaving raft normally located in the compartment. 5. In an emergency life-saving apparatus for a submarine, a series of annular buoyant members each adapted to support a single member of the submarine crew, a seat suspended from each annular buoyant member, a float member for each annular buoyant member, a cord connecting each float with a seat, cables connecting the buoyant members in series to form a flexible floating raft, a relatively large float member at one extremity of the Vseries of annular members, other buoyant members at the opposite end of the series, som-e including food and Water containers, a light carried by the last container', a weight on the bottom of the last container to maintain the same in floating position on the surface of the water, means for storing the raft on a submarine, including a compartment, means for closing the compartment from the remaining interior of the submarine, means for flooding the compartment,- i-ncluding a hatchway, a cover for the hatchway, and means for forcing the cover to open position in the submerged position of the submarine, to release the raft.

In testimony whereof, I hereuntofaffix my signature.

xUMazo ramener-n.- 

